Embed

description

Object description

Australian gunner and NCO served with 43 Field Bty, Royal Australian Artillery in Australia, 1938-1940; NCO served with 2/2 Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Australian Artillery in Australia, Middle East and Syria, 1940-1941; served with Australian Imperial Force Middle East School of Artillery in Palestine, 1941-1942; served with Anti-Tank School in Australia, 1942; officer served with 13th Armoured Regt Royal Australian Armoured Corps in Australia, 1942-1944; served with G Branch 1st Australian Army Headquarters in New Guinea, 1944-1945

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Brisbane, Australia, 1916-1940: family; memories of childhood; father's service in Australian Army; education; periods with uncle in South Burnett including influence on joining horse drawn artillery; service of family members during and before First World War; further details of education; search for work, 1932; civilian work with Queensland Cane Growers Council; discussion of influences in life of Britain and Australia; opinion of why Australians fought in First World War. Aspects of period as private and NCO with 43 Field Bty in Australia, 1938-1940: expanding and training of Citizens Military Force; promotion up to Sergeant; reasons for joining Citizens Military Force; money earned from killing swallows; knowledge of situation in Europe during 1930s.
REEL 2 Continues: life in 1930s Australia; reactions to Munich Agreement; mechanisation of unit; outbreak of war; expectation of call-up to regular army; outlook on possibility of seeing action; life in Citizens Military Force; uniform worn in Citizens Military Force and 2nd Australian Imperial Force; relationship with women; joining of 2nd Australian Imperial Force, 4/1940. Aspects of period as NCO with 2/2 Australian Anti-Tank Regt Royal Australian Artillery in Australia, 5/1940-10/1940: background and memories of recruits; training given to recruits.
REEL 3 Continues: opinion of why Australians joined army; Australian recruitment policy; war service of brother; reaction to possibility of service overseas; train journey to Sydney. Aspects of journey from Sydney, Australia, to El Kantara, Egypt, 1940: boarding of Queen Mary; news of war; reactions to situation; knowledge of destination; activities during stay in Poona; military police duties including story of brawl; relationship with other Allied troops; conditions onboard Queen Mary; issue and opinion of meals; troops employed aboard ship; accommodation and sleeping arrangements; washing facilities; beer; emergency procedures; guns onboard; sports; make-up of convoy including route taken and stop at Fremantle Harbour; rolling during storm; tour of engine rooms.
REEL 4 Continues: voyage aboard Indooropera to Egypt; prisoners onboard; activities during voyage; arrival at El Kantara and journey to Qastina in Palestine. Aspects of period as NCO with 2/2 Australian Anti-Tank Regt Royal Australian Artillery in Middle East, 1940-1941: accommodation at Qastina and onboard Queen Mary; posting to Helwan in Egypt; guns in unit; activities of batteries sent to Western Desert; news of war; journey to northern Palestine including reason for issue of Greek money; contact with other Allied troops; knowledge of Syrian invasion; posting is Palestine; Australia vs France army football match in Beirut. Aspects of operations as NCO with 2/2 Australian Anti- Tank Regt Royal Australian Artillery in Syria, 1941: story of captured French officer; role of different batteries; casualties; reasons for conflict in Syria; briefings; officers in unit; positioning and role of anti-tank guns; opinion of guns; Australian vehicles in Syria.
REEL 5 Continues: weapons collected; shelling received from Vichy French including support given during infantry attack and shelter taken; damage to truck and withdrawal; fire faced from opposition; casualties; successes of unit against tanks; activities of Australian artillery; protection from opposition fire; air raids; terrain and supply problems; details of opposition faced; advance toward and Merdjayoun Fort including description of forts en route; role of anti- tank guns; actions at Merdjayoun; firing of 2lb anti-tank guns.
REEL 6 Continues: position occupied at time of armistice; advance to Northern Syria; activities in camp; leave in Damascus and Aley including brawls with British troops; posting outside Beirut; accommodation; activities; posting and journey to Nusarat. Aspects of period as NCO with Australian Imperial Force Middle East School of Artillery in Palestine, 1941-1942: duties; setting-up of firing range including thefts by civilians; infantry training; movement of vehicles to Tewfik. Aspects of voyage from Tewfik, Egypt, to Adelaide, Australia, aboard the Dorset, 1942: details of ship; sleeping arrangements; guns onboard; rations including Tinaroo biscuits; reactions to posting home; voyage to Fremantle; leave in Perth; health problems and latrines on voyage to Adelaide; problems on arrival; accommodation. Aspects of period as NCO with Anti-Tank School in Australia, 1942: school set-up in Adelaide; story of accident; posting to Anti-Tank school at Puckapunyal; reaction to being in Australia; road accidents in Adelaide docks; details of journey to Puckapunyal; contact with American troops; reaction to Japan's entry into war; service of 2/2 Australian Anti-Tank Regiment; knowledge of Japanese.
REEL 7 Continues: promotion to warrant officer; news and details of commission. Aspects of period as officer with 13th Armoured Regt Royal Australian Armoured Corps in Australia, 1942-1944 and G Branch 1st Australian Army Headquarters in New Guinea, 1944-1945: pattern of training with tanks; disbandment of regiment; driving of Grant Tank; story of accident during training; story of accident during a public demonstration; posting to New Guinea; briefing received in Brisbane; leave; journey to Lae. details of service; training given to troops; role of tanks in Australia; description of Grant; tactical training and manoeuvres in Australia; Japanese use of tanks; contact and rivalry with American troops; knowledge of war with Japanese; discussion of Australian activity; reasons for not being posted to Japan; demobilisation, 10/1945; placement on reserve; reaction to atomic bombs and VJ Day.
REEL 8 Continues: Aspects of period as civilian in Australia from 1945: civilian work in Sydney to 1947; reflections on war service including settling into civilian life and comradeship in army.

Over two million American servicemen passed through Britain during the Second World War. In 1944, at the height of activity, up to half a million were based there with the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). Their job was to man and maintain the vast fleets of aircraft needed to attack German cities and industry.